By almost any measure, the Yankees have the best bullpen in baseball. New York ranks first in bullpen ERA (2.75), batting average against (.199), and both strikeouts per nine (11.53) and strikeout percentage (31.5). The team deploys seven relievers with strikeout-per-nine rates above 10, or as many as the Braves, Nationals and Diamondbacks have combined. Unsurprisingly, by Fangraphs WAR, they’re in first by miles (6.7, compared to second-place San Diego’s 5.0), and by Baseball-Reference’s Wins Above Average, the group is second only to the Red Sox (3.1 to 5.3). It’s the kind of bullpen that doesn’t need help.
Yet on Tuesday night, it was New York snatching up the best reliever still on the trade market by swinging a four-player deal for Orioles closer Zach Britton.